Commission OKs plans

Hayden appears to be well on its way to the industrial and commercial growth that community leaders have been hoping for.

The Hayden Planning Commission on Thursday approved sketch plans for the Hayden 33 Industrial Park Subdivision proposed for the southwest corner of Crandall Avenue and Routt County Road 37, south of the Hayden Cemetery.

Peddie, who has completed 12 projects in Steamboat, most of them residential, told the commission that he and Franklin want to fill a need for affordable business space for plumbers, electricians and other tradespeople to operate their businesses.

"It's important for us to have a successful project, and it's important for you that we have a successful project," he said, emphasizing his openness to the commission's suggestions.

Peddie and Franklin will be developing the park as a subdivision but also will be building some of the structures, Peddie said, adding that all buildings in the park will be subject to architectural guidelines.

When asked how much the lots would cost, Peddie and Franklin said they hadn't done a lot of the work in that regard but guessed the lots would run in the $40,000 to $50,000 range.

The biggest issue with the project will be C.R. 37, Town Manager Russ Martin said.

The road likely will become a major collector road for traffic from the industrial park and future development in the area, he said.

Martin and Hellyer emphasized that the park's developers will need to confer with Routt County about the future of the road and possible improvement needs.

Martin also stipulated that the developers allow for an 80-foot right-of-way to make way for future expansion. He also stressed the project was an opportunity for the town to get involved with road and other issues to prepare for and encourage additional development in the area.

There were some concerns about roads within the subdivision. There are three connected roads, one of which ends in a cul de sac, which commission members pointed out could make snow removal and maintenance difficult.

During public comment, Richard "Festus" Hagins suggested the subdivision have an association to maintain the roads, rather than having the town do the job.

The industrial park will include about 6 acres of open space to meet the 25 percent required for subdivisions in Hayden. The commission requested that the land not be open-space easements, which allow adjacent lot owners to use the land for purposes other than building.

Commission members approved the project with the condition that Pettie and Franklin come up with a landscaping plan for open space and discuss their project with the county.

Peddie and Franklin will come back to the commission with preliminary plans at a future meeting. There will be several more opportunities for the public to comment on the project, Martin said.